It was a balmy winter night just a little more than a year ago. The seconds ticked toward midnight and a new century dawned. A mass of writhing and screaming bodies packed into an abandoned Prince Avenue church to dance the night away and party in the face of Y2K. Amid the sprays of champagne and showers of glitter, a duo soon to be known as the Krush Girls made a most appropriate debut.

What began as simply a handful of friends pooling together to throw a ''come one, come all'' New Year's Eve dance party like Athens had never seen has since adopted a dance-fever following of almost religious fervor.

Chris Bilheimer and Dan Donahue are the DJ duo behind the tunes of that now-legendary evening. From ABBA to ZZ Top, Rick James to Rick Springfield, LL Cool J to INXS, Sly and the Family Stone to the Stone Roses to the Rolling Stones, the Krush Girls' mix of cross-genre, multi-era dance hits provided the perfect soundtrack for a night that wrote itself a whole new chapter in the book of Athens party history.

''That night we realized that Dan and I make beautiful music together -- or at least play other people's music beautifully together,'' says Bilheimer of the birth of the Krush Girls. ''Having to clean champagne off the ceiling of the church the next day made me realize that we were the Krush Girls.''

A couple of weeks later, they resurrected the act at an in-town house party and were officially christened the Krush Girls, as in ''krush grooves,'' a phrase referencing the smooth beats of early '80s rap music. And for the record, they're not girls. ''We are ladylike,'' offers Donahue.

Valentine's Dance Party with the Krush Girls at the 40 Watt Club Feb. 14th

Dot Paul/Staff

The Krush Girls have resurrected a dance party scene that had seemed doomed to rest in peace. Several years back, late-night disco was all the rage at a handful of downtown establishments. After the last drinks were served and the bands had packed up, the clubs would open up their doors to the rowdy masses and crowds would shake their stuff into the early morning hours, giving many who may have over-imbibed earlier ample time and the proper tunes to sober up and sweat the booze out of their systems.

Both Bilheimer and Donahue were employed by the 40 Watt Club during this era and were first-hand witnesses to such wee-hour wildness. In late 1998, the Athens-Clarke commission put an end to the madness and passed an ordinance forcing all bars to be evacuated only 45 minutes after last call.

''I think it's just silly dilly,'' says Donahue of the rule. ''And I'm sure that when the commissioners read that the Krush Girls think it's silly dilly, they will repeal it immediately,'' adds Bilheimer.

But the Krush Girls play by the rules, participating in late-night parties in private locations or spinning in public clubs during regular hours. When the clock strikes 2:45 a.m., the party's over and it's time to head home Cinderella-style.

While rumors run rampant about the wildness that happens at just about every Krush Girls event, one thing's for sure: A Krush Girls party is all about the love. And there is no question that Krush Girls tunes entice many audience members to shed their everyday skins and let loose the naked party animal within.

Valentine's Dance Party with the Krush Girls

When: Wednesday, Feb. 14

Where: 40 Watt Club

Cost: $2

Call: (706) 549-7871

At a warehouse party last Memorial Day weekend, a trio of anonymous streaking guys were unleashed upon the masses to collect donations to cover the costs of the festivities. One wore only a paper bag on his head, another's face was wrapped tightly in a T-shirt and yet another was simply clad in tube socks and a Jar-Jar Binks mask.

''It worked; we covered almost all our expenses,'' explains Bilheimer.

As would be expected, in October, the Krush Girls' Halloween Dance Party at the Engine Room on West Washington Street was particularly flesh-filled. By the time a go-go dancing Catwoman had unknowingly split her catsuit up the backside, a bearded guy disguised as an '80s era aerobics instructor (leg warmers, leotard and all) had joined her on stage sporting a self-inflicted wedgie and tights that had burst open at the butt cheeks.

Just what is it about the Krush Girls that inspires nudity in certain individuals? ''It's a desperate cry for sex,'' surmises Donahue.

''I think it goes back to the fact that some of our friends are insane,'' adds Bilheimer.

To ring in 2001, the Krush Girls spun tunes at yet another New Year's Eve party, this one taking place at yet another former church. Few thought they could match the insanity of that Y2K eve just a year ago, but since then, their fan base has grown and the party, in old -school Athens party style, was close to going out of bounds.

One cherub-faced young man climbed into the baptismal font above the altar and did a hilarious yet charming ''Ooops! No, no!'' dance, waving his finger at the audience as he shook his stuff. ''As soon as he got up there, we played 'Dancing Queen' ... and then he fell on me three times,'' Bilheimer recalls of that unforgettable performance. Apparently there wasn't much foot room in the baptismal font.

At one point in the evening, someone opened a fire extinguisher on the audience and the crowd emptied out into the frigid late-night air, wheezing and choking. But even that could not stop the Krush Girls. After allowing the place to air out for a half hour or so, the party carried on full force until the sun threatened to shed some light on it all.

''We're putting a call out to the public to rat out the culprit who pulled the fire extinguisher move on New Year's Eve,'' announces Bilheimer. ''E-mail us a name at krushgirls@hotmail.com and the offender will be subject to a public wedgie at the next Krush Girls party.''

And then there's Boxer Socks Guy ... a fixture at every Krush Girls party who certainly can't be overlooked. This gangly, bearded and bespectacled young man inevitably strips down to his boxer shorts and a pair of knee-high tube socks and busts out some moves that make the cast of ''Breakin' II'' look like the Dancing Grannies.

''It just gets hot,'' says Boxer Socks Guy, who declines to reveal his identity but claims Van Halen's David Lee Roth and ReRun of ''What's Happenin' Now'' as the biggest influences on his dance moves. ''It doesn't matter what other people think, you're just more comfortable with less clothes. A lot of people can't laugh at themselves, but I can,'' he says of his exhibitionist tendencies. ''Naked skinny white guys are always funny.''

''It's just about having fun,'' explains Bilheimer of the unabashed insanity that happens around the Krush Girls. ''There's no scene, there's no pretensions. We certainly aren't competent DJs. I'm almost embarrassed to call myself a DJ. That sort of lessens the abilities of those who know what they're doing.''

''We are not turntablists, we are disc jockeys,'' explains Donahue.

The Krush Girls are reluctant to suggest what to expect for their Valentine's Day show at the 40 Watt Club next week, but they do promise ''throw it in your face kinda dancers. ... When we actually do try and plan stuff, people are too busy dancing to notice,'' Donahue says.

''We are going to try to play as many love songs as possible, especially ones dealing with the butt; the theme is ''The Butt,'' declares Bilheimer.

Donahue makes a final suggestion to anyone considering spending Valentine's Day with the Krush Girls: ''I suggest you don't wear much if you don't want it to come off!''

With advice like that to follow, even if you don't have a Valentine, you're sure to find one by the end of the night.

The Krush Girls' Top 10 Valentine's Day Love Songs

10. Baby Got Back -- Sir Mix-A-Lot

9. Back That Azz Up -- Juvenile

8. Shake Ya Ass -- Mystikal

7. Shake Your Booty -- K.C. and the Sunshine Band

6. Shake Your Rump -- Beastie Boys

5. Rumpshaker -- Wrex n' Effects

4. Da Butt -- E.U.

3. Dunkie Butt -- 12 Gauge

2. Big Ole Butt -- L.L. Cool J

1. Boogie, Oogie, Oogie -- A Taste of Honey

Features writer Melissa Link can be reached at mlink@onlineathens.com or (706) 208-2316.